The present invention relates to office furnishings and the like, and in particular to a workspace display.
Open office plans are well known in the art, and generally comprise large, open floor spaces in buildings that are furnished in a manner that is readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever changing needs of a specific user, as well as the diverse requirements of different tenants. One arrangement commonly used for furnishing open plans includes moveable partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual workstations and/or offices, and are generally known in the office furniture industry as xe2x80x9csystems furniturexe2x80x9d. Another arrangement for dividing and/or partitioning open plans utilizes workspace modules which have a free-standing framework supporting a three-sided partition arrangement to form an interior workspace, and a portal opening for user ingress and egress. A workspace module includes a door partition that is shaped to selectively close the portal opening, and is movably mounted on the framework. The door partition is positioned adjacent one side of the portal opening, such that shifting the door partition from the fully open position to the fully closed position increases the amount of interior space in the workspace to provide both improved freedom of user movement, and a sense of roominess and comfort.
Group problem-solving techniques necessarily involve some degree of interaction between co-workers and interaction with the information of their work, thereby creating the need in furnishings and communications equipment in modem office environments to promote both increased group communications, and also support individual problem-solving. Many types of highly trained xe2x80x9cknowledge workersxe2x80x9d, such as engineers, accountants, computer programmers, and the like, are now being supported in open office settings, instead of conventional private offices, in order to gain increased efficiency of real estate and life cycle costs. Throughout a given work day, an office worker normally oscillates between interaction with others and time spent alone. In addition, the increasing use of computers and electrical communications devices has changed the way in which workers interact with other workers and perform their tasks.
Workspace modules or individual workstations made from partition panel systems may be positioned around an open, group or common workspace to support both individual and if group work activities. This arrangement facilitates combined group and individual work activities, while simultaneously maximizing the utilization of floor space. Both the xe2x80x9csystems furniturexe2x80x9d and the workspace module office arrangements commonly include provisions for computers and conventional telephone communications equipment.
Displays, such as, dry erasable markerboards and/or projectors are also important to support group worker activities. Since knowledge workers typically constitute a major portion of group problem-solving teams, it is important to provide such highly skilled workers with computational and communications devices that promote efficient group and individual work activities. Therefore, there is a need for a projection display system that utilizes vertical surfaces and combines various display functions on a large, easy to view screen that can be integrated into a furniture system, designed to facilitate group and individual tasks while simultaneously maximizing the utilization of existing floorspace.
Various surfaces having a dry erasable surface are known in the art. These surfaces are commonly known as xe2x80x9cdry wipe,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9cwhiteboard,xe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdry erasablexe2x80x9d to refer to a surface that can be marked with dry erasable marker ink, and wiped off from the surface with a dry cloth or eraser. These dry erasable markerboards generally have a high gloss, white surface. Although the high gloss surface facilitates erasability, it is generally not suitable for a projection display screen since the high gloss surface creates an image that may be difficult to view.
One approach, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,164, has been to cover a white, opaque layer with a transparent dry erasable layer on which a bi-directional lenticular surface is embossed. Although this produces a surface that can be used as a dry erasable markerboard and also as a projection display screen, the resulting surface provides a relatively low gain, requiring a higher powered projector to produce an image having sufficient brightness.
Rear projection display screens are commonly used in commercially available televisions and in business conference meeting rooms. However, since the rear, or projection side, of the screen is closed off by the housing of the television, two-sided viewing is not generally possible. These screens may have a surface that is suitable for use as a dry erasable markerboard.
Currently available rear projection display screens normally have a relatively large housing in which the projector is mounted. In addition to limiting the display screen to one-sided viewing, the housing requires substantial floorspace, particularly with the larger display screens. Smaller, desktop CRT computer monitors require desktop space, are sized for individual viewing, and are generally limited to the single function of displaying computer-generated images. Therefore, there was a need for a display screen which utilized vertical surfaces such that the use of floor and desk space is minimized. In addition, it would also be desirable to have a display screen having multi-functional capability for both individual and group activities, including the display of electronically generated images, or hand-written information to thereby eliminate the need for multiple devices to perform these functions.
One aspect of the present invention is a workspace display for open plan spaces and the like including a sidewall partition configured to define a three-sided workspace having a portal opening shaped to permit user ingress and egress therethrough, and a door partition configured to selectively close the portal opening. The door has an interior side, and is movably supported to permit shifting the door partition between a fully open position and a fully closed position for worker privacy. A first display screen is disposed on the interior side of the door partition, and a second display screen is disposed exterior of the sidewall partition, and is positioned a spaced apart distance from the portal opening, in general alignment therewith, while permitting user ingress and egress through the portal opening without substantial interference. A video device is mounted overhead adjacent the sidewall partition, and is in video communication with the first screen when the door partition is in its fully closed position to support individual activities, and with the second screen when the door partition is in its fully open position to support group activities.
Preferably, the video device is a display projector adapted to project images onto the first screen when the door partition is in its fully closed position, and to project images through the portal opening onto the second screen when the door partition is in its fully open position. The second display screen is configured to reflect images inwardly from the display projector to support small group activities, and to transmit images outwardly from the display projector to support large group activities.
Another aspect of the present invention is a workspace display for open plan spaces and the like having a sidewall partition configured to define a three-sided workspace having an interior side, an exterior side, and a portal opening shaped to permit user ingress and egress therethrough. The workspace also has a display opening with two-sided projection display positioned in the display opening, disposed adjacent a comfortable viewing height for an adult user. The projection display has an interior screen facing the interior side of the sidewall partition that reflects projected images inwardly for viewing from the interior side of the sidewall partition. The two-sided projection display also has an exterior screen facing the exterior side of the sidewall partition for transmitting projected images outwardly therethrough for viewing from the exterior side of the sidewall partition. A display projector is mounted overhead adjacent the sidewall partition, and is adapted to project images therefrom onto the interior screen to support individual activities, and to project images therefrom onto the exterior screen to support group activities.
In addition, a door partition that is movably supported to permit shifting between a fully open position for worker interaction and a fully closed position for worker privacy may be included.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a workspace display having a sidewall partition configured to define a three-sided workspace having an open side that permits user ingress and egress therethrough. A first display screen is disposed on an interior side of the sidewall partition, and a second display screen is disposed exterior of the sidewall partition, and is positioned a spaced apart distance from the open side, in general alignment therewith, allowing user ingress and egress through the open side without substantial interference. A video device is mounted overhead adjacent the sidewall partition, and is in video communication with the first screen to support individual activities, and with the second screen to support group activities.
Preferably, the video device is a display projector adapted to project images onto the first screen when the door partition is in its fully closed position, and to project images through the portal opening onto the second screen when the door partition is in its fully open position. The second display screen has an interior screen surface oriented toward the interior side of the sidewall partition, that is configured to reflect images inwardly from the display projector to support small group activities. The second display screen has an exterior screen surface oriented toward an exterior side of the sidewall partition, and is configured to transmit images outwardly from the display projector to support large group activities.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a workspace display for open plan spaces and the like having a rear sidewall and a front sidewall spaced apart from the rear sidewall and configured to define a two-sided workspace having an interior and an exterior. The front sidewall has a display opening disposed adjacent a comfortable viewing height for an adult user. A two-sided projection display is positioned in the display opening and generally closes the same. The projection display has an interior screen facing the interior side of the second sidewall partition and reflecting projected images inwardly therefrom for viewing from the interior side of the second sidewall partition. An exterior screen faces the exterior side of the second sidewall partition, and transmits projected images outwardly therethrough for viewing from the exterior side of the second sidewall partition. A display projector is mounted overhead adjacent the workspace, and is adapted to project images therefrom onto the interior screen to support individual activities. The display projector also projects images onto the exterior screen to support group activities.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is a method for displaying images in workstations for open plan spaces and the like, the steps including providing a sidewall partition configured to define a workspace having an open side that permits user ingress and egress therethrough. A first display screen is positioned on an interior side of the sidewall partition. A second display screen is positioned exterior of the sidewall partition at a spaced apart distance from the open side of the sidewall partition, in general alignment therewith, without substantial interference with user ingress and egress through the open side. A display projector is positioned overhead in the sidewall partition. Images are projected from the display projector onto the first display screen to support individual activities. Images are also projected from the display projector through the open side of the sidewall partition onto the second screen to support group activities.
The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a workspace display for open plan spaces and the like that is particularly adapted to effectively and efficiently support knowledge workers engaged in either group work activities or individual work activities. A display screen utilizes a vertical surface for display of images, and requires minimal floorspace. In addition, the display screen has a multi-functional capability, and eliminates the need for a desktop display screen when using a computer. The display screen may have a viewable screen on both surfaces. The display screen can be disposed in the wall of an open plan office system or a workspace module. In addition, the screen may be free-standing adjacent a workspace to facilitate both small-group and large-group activities. The display projector may be operatively connected to either a computer or other audio video equipment. In addition, the display screen may be interfaced with an electronic device that directly translates written material on the markerboard surface into an electronic format in the computer.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.